Multiphase pump

Abstract

A multiphase pump for conveying a multiphase process fluid from a low pressure side to a high pressure side includes an outer housing, a casing, the casing having a pump inlet and a pump outlet for the process fluid, and a pump rotor capable of rotating about an axial direction arranged within the casing, and configured to convey the process fluid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet. The casing includes a plurality of stage segments, and the plurality of stage segments include an individual stage-segment, a low pressure segment arranged at the pump inlet and a high pressure segment arranged at the pump outlet, the individual stage-segment arranged between the high pressure segment and the low pressure segment, and the plurality of stage segments being held together by a sealing support structure, the casing being arranged within the outer housing.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A multiphase pump for conveying a multiphase process fluid from a low pressure side to a high pressure side, comprising:
 an outer housing; 
 a casing, the casing having a pump inlet and a pump outlet for the process fluid; 
 a pump rotor including an impeller, and capable of rotating about an axial direction arranged within the casing, and configured to convey the process fluid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet; and 
 a diffuser including a wear ring, 
 the casing comprising a plurality of stage segments, and the plurality of stage segments comprising an individual stage-segment, a low pressure segment arranged at the pump inlet and a high pressure segment arranged at the pump outlet, the low pressure segment radially adjacent to at least one of the impeller or the wear ring, the individual stage-segment arranged between the high pressure segment and the low pressure segment, and the plurality of stage segments being held together by a sealing support disposed inside the outer housing, the casing being arranged within the outer housing, the low pressure segment including a flange to receive the sealing support, the flange having a first end disposed at a first radial plane and a second end disposed at a second radial plane, both the first and second ends being radially adjacent to at least one of the impeller or the wear ring along the first and second radial planes, respectively. 
 
     
     
       2. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the individual stage-segment is a first individual stage-segment of a plurality of individual stage-segments, and the plurality of individual stage-segments includes a second individual stage-segment, the first individual stage-segment and the second individual stage-segment being arranged in tandem between the high pressure segment and the low pressure segment, and the plurality of stage segments are held together by the sealing support. 
     
     
       3. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of individual stage-segments further comprises a third individual stage-segment, the first individual stage-segment being connected to the low pressure segment, the second individual stage-segment being connected to the high pressure segment and the third individual stage-segment being connected to the first individual stage-segment or the second individual stage-segment. 
     
     
       4. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the third individual stage-segment is one of a plurality of third individual stage-segments, each third individual stage-segment being connected to an adjacent individual stage-segment of the plurality of individual stage-segments. 
     
     
       5. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the pump rotor comprises a shaft, and the impeller is one of a plurality of impellers arranged in series on the shaft. 
     
     
       6. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the diffusor is arranged about the shaft, and is disposed between two adjacent impellers of the plurality of impellers for directing the process fluid to the next impeller. 
     
     
       7. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the wear ring includes two semi-circular rings, the diffusor is axially split into the two semi-circular rings and the two semi-circular rings are arranged about the shaft. 
     
     
       8. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the individual stage-segment is one of a plurality of first individual stage-segments of a plurality of individual stage-segments, and the plurality of individual stage-segments includes a plurality of second individual stage-segments, the first individual stage segments and the second individual stage segments are individual rings compressed together by the sealing support. 
     
     
       9. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the impellers are helico-axial impellers. 
     
     
       10. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising an impeller wear ring disposed between an impeller of the plurality of impellers and the casing, and the wear ring is disposed between the shaft and the diffuser. 
     
     
       11. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the sealing support is a tie rod, the tie rod being connected to a multiplicity of the plurality of stage segments. 
     
     
       12. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the flange is a first flange and the high pressure segment comprises a second flange, the tie rod being connected to the first flange and to the second flange. 
     
     
       13. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the multiphase pump is a vertical pump with the pump rotor extending in a vertical direction. 
     
     
       14. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a drive operatively connected to the pump rotor, the drive configured to rotate the pump rotor, the drive being arranged inside the outer housing of the multiphase pump. 
     
     
       15. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the multiphase pump is configured to be installed on the sea ground. 
     
     
       16. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the sealing support is a tie rod connected to the low pressure segment and the high pressure segment. 
     
     
       17. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the diffuser is one of a plurality of diffusers and the sealing support is disposed between the outer housing and the diffusers. 
     
     
       18. The multiphase pump in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the individual stage-segment is a first individual stage-segment, and the plurality of stage segments comprises a second individual stage-segment, and an entirety of the flange is radially adjacent the second individual stage-segment.